Friday, June 14, 2013

Rockwell Relay: A Band Of Misfits

Part One: Pre-Race

"Into the Spider's Den"

What you do when no one is watching, determines your character...

Over
1,000 miles of driving and 4 flying spiders make for a restless
pre-race night, but that is a story in its own that needs to be told
later... on Yelp, in the hotel review section. In the context of the race the only details that need to be
revealed is that a sleepless, anxious night ended at 3:00am in an
abandoned Denny's sipping Diet Coke, picking at pancakes, and
impatiently waiting for the clock to tick to 5:00am.
At 5:00am
Bambi and I packed it up at the restaurant and headed to the starting
line to begin my three hour pre-race ritual. Like normal, I was the
first cyclist there. This is almost a necessity for me as it allows the
confusion and ruckus to slowly build around me and makes it more
controllable. As I finished gearing up and methodically going through
my checklist we got the text from my teammates, who had showed up the
night before, that they had arrived.
In no time Bambi had spotted
them. 50 minutes before a two day, 530 mile race we were formally
introducing ourselves as a team to each other. As quickly as the
introductions were made, they were over. As they went to eat breakfast,
I continued on with my warm-ups.
As I pushed off on my bike my confidence
level sunk even lower. My newly acquired teammates all looked like very
serious cyclist and all way above my ability. I was just hoping not to
slow them down too much.
We gathered again, 30 minutes before
the race, for a mandatory meeting. Info was given about the
neutral-zone and some minor road construction. As a team we went over
our game plan we had put together in 2 quick phone calls and a few
emails.
I then made my way to the starting line to stake my spot
and get mentally prepared. I was anticipating a very confusing start:
400 cyclist would leave but only 100 were racing this first leg.
The
organizers had suggested that everyone roll out together as a show of
solidarity, then the three cyclists on each team not racing would break
off and allow their designated "Cyclist 1" to continue the race after
the neutral-zone. The countdown hit zero and John, Lonnie, Dave and I pushed
off.
It was as confusing as I had envisioned as 400 riders tried to funnel through a starting gate designed for 100 cyclists...

Part Two: The Start

"The Best Laid Plans..."

It
took just over 5 minutes for us to get through the starting gate and
rolling. In bicycle terms that's about 1.25 miles. The race had just
started and I was already that far behind. And the confusion was no
better on the race side of the starting line. The police car leading the
race did not understand a neutral zone start and took off like he was
chasing a hot donut.
A neutral zone, or roll out, takes place at
the beginning of a race and is designed to allow everyone equal
opportunity to get up to speed and situated. No attacks or breakaways
are allowed. Normally they are about 2 miles long and done at an easy
15mph pace. This one lasted less than a mile and was done at 25mph.
Basically non-existent.
By the time we got through the initial
confusion I figured we were 8-10 minutes (about 2 to 2.5 miles) off the
front. John and I had been separated from Lonnie and Dave and I was
starting to panic. But with one question and quick move John calmed me
and showed me what type of teammates I had.
"Where do you want to be?"
I did a quick survey and guess, pointed at a group that looked good and replied, "get me there."
John
jumped out in front of me and escorted me through the mess to where I
wanted to be. He then peeled off to go get the support vehicle. A quiet
job well done.
The group I had asked him to get me to wasn't as
fast as I had thought. I looked up ahead and saw another group of seven
riders. Without hesitation I took off chasing them. It was a smart move,
I would not see any of the first group of cyclists again.
Soon
I'd worked my way to the group of seven, trying to remind myself to
conserve energy; the race wasn't going to be won or lost here. This
group was very good and experienced. I fell into the pace line they'd
formed and took my turns on the front. As we caught other cyclists and
they latched onto the pace line our numbers grew to about 20. We'd
settled on a nice 21mph pace and got into a comfort zone, moving faster
than any of us could have done individually. But then I got to stamp my
signature on the group.
13 miles into the race was a decent hill; about a 4% grade for about a mile and a half.
20
or more of us reached the base of the climb together. I was in the
middle. I shifted into an easier gear and increased my leg rotation to
110 rpms. The other cyclists would average about 75 rpms in a heavier
gear- it would become a battle of styles.
about 1/4 of the way up I
had already worked my way to the front of the group and was dictating
the pace. 1/2 of the way up there were still 8 hanging on. 3/4 of the
way up it had dwindled to 4. Then only one was left on my wheel.
As I crest the summit alone, I looked back at 20 cyclists with their heads drooped.
I was feeling confident and like I belonged and then just like that a road block was thrown in my face.
And I mean that literally.
The
road construction we'd been warned about was going to throw a monkey
wrench into our plans. I coasted up to a road crew guy holding a stop
sign. As traffic flowing against us was allowed to pass through the
single lane, the cyclists I'd worked so hard to drop up the hill began rolling up behind me. All that work down the drain. Except they knew
that I'd out climbed them. Together we gathered in the shade of an RV
sitting in the traffic, introduced ourselves, talked bikes and waited...
and waited...
and waited...
Unknown
to us a group of about 20 racers had just made it through before the road stoppage and were
pressing on. We would sit there for 24 minutes while the leaders would
put about 8 miles distance between us. When we were finally allowed to
continue racing about 10 of us immediately broke free from the pack and
upped the pace.
For the next 39 miles I thought I was leading the
race and it was the confidence booster I needed. The cyclists around me
were good, and it took all of my ability to stay with them, but stay
with them I did.
Before the race, John and I had estimated how
long we thought each leg would take, under the best case scenario. We'd
guessed the entire race would take 32.5 hours and this first leg would
take me 3 hours. As I pulled into the exchange and handed to baton to
John, Cyclist #2, the clock read 11:00am. Even with a nearly half hour
delay I'd positioned us exactly where we had hoped to be.
After
finding Lonnie and Dave and packing my bike in the trailer we realized
Bambi was not there. She was still on the course. Somehow she'd lost
track of me. It was an ominous sign of things to come. After making sure
she was on her way, we jumped into the van and took off after our
cyclist who was 20 minutes up ahead...

Part Three: Riding Support

"For The Love of It"

(with guest writer John Beechen "Cyclist 2" of Keep It Clean)

We'd
designated John as our "all around" cyclist. He'd do some climbing,
descending, put in long tedious miles, battle the heat of mid-day and
the deep dark of night. We caught up with him at the base of a very
serious climb. He asked for more water, talked about what had transpired
already in his first rotation and then pushed up the hill. As the
elevation climbed so did the heat. But his smile never left his face. It
was uplifting to see a guy, in bad conditions, simply enjoying the
opportunity to ride a bike. It made it easier to transition from
cyclist, and center of attention, to a crew member in the support
vehicle.
Before the race, John had done a lot of "behind the
scenes" work. Some of which was paying off now. He'd worked out a
rotation in which the rider who just finished their time on the bike
could get in the back of the van and recover, eat and sleep.
Unfortunately, I was enjoying the race so much I forgot to do any of the
three previous mentioned necessities for someone who was going to race
at the end of the day. As John put in mile after mile of the Southern
Utah Desert behind his bike, my body became weaker and more fatigued.
The
last eight miles of his leg was a steep climb that tested his body but
couldn't erase his smile. We shot ahead to get ready for the next
exchange.

"For The Love Of It"

John Beechen, Cyclist 2, View from the bike

As
a bunch of newbies we were discovering things all the time about how
to ride a race such as Rockwell. After shooting past Eric on one of
the final climbs, we rolled into the exchange town and I started
assembling my bike (front wheel on), and getting dressed for the ride.
At this stage finding things like gloves, helmet liner, helmet, shoes,
socks was a challenge as we weren't into the flow of the exchanges yet.
I finally got my act together and rolled to the start line - just as
Eric rolled in for the exchange! I literally didn't get a chance to
roll to a stop it was that close. Baton on wrist, I rode around the
park that was our exchange .... and right up to a red light. The
blockers in our way continued. Not so bad I thought - the plan was
always to find people to ride with to take the wind. A few guys rolled
up behind me at the light just as it turned green, and as a group of
three we took off. I could tell I was in trouble just by looking at
physiques. These guys were power riders - huge quads, big bodies. Up a
hill I could probably take them but on the flats they were powerful. I
took the lead for a while, pushing hard as we left town, then rotated
out to let them have a go. The jump was obvious when they led, and I
tucked in and went as hard as I could in their slipstream. My strava
segments for this stage of the race were the best of all - a 6th and a
10th overall place in the first two segments out of town which shows how
fast we were going - about 27/28mph. After a while I let them go as
the pace was just too high for me. I then got into a nice group of about
10 riders, and we stayed together for a good 10 miles or so. This was
nice fast pack riding, but obviously a group that wasn't totally
familiar with working together. I took a lot of turns at the front,
and then decided to drift to the back to have a rest. The problem was I
drifted a bit too much and all of a sudden was shot out the back and
10-15 bike lengths from the group who sailed off into the distance.
Note to self - don't be selfless. In future I will stay toward the
front of these packs and not drift to the back so much. I wasn't alone -
a woman on Team Luna somethingorother was with me and we took turns
into the unfolding landscape of Utah. Beautiful climbs and descents -
stunning red and yellow rock scenery. At one stage we rode through a
shaft in the rock, tall rock columns on both sides with brilliant blue
leading us down the road. What was great about this riding partner was
every time I rode past to take the wind she would say "Nice!", and her
support vehicle was hitting us with a squirt gun as the temperatures
rose. She was from Idaho. We rode on. The profile of this leg shows a
substantial 8 mile climb at the end. We hit the hill and I actually
felt better as this is where I can typically pass some people and make
up time. The problem I soon discovered was doing this in 90+ temps was
difficult when you haven't trained in that weather for a year.
Colorado is much cooler, and we haven't had the chance to train in
those temps this season at all. Compounding this, I hadn't eaten
enough calories on the leg, and the power output at higher than usual
speed was catching up with me. Basically I bonked - my speed dropped
and I ground out the hill but at much lower speed than I wanted to.
Putting pressure on the cranks was difficult. I was being passed by
people I should have kept up with. I was keenly aware of my team
waiting for me. It was a straight road - I could see the exchange
point a mile ahead but it felt like an eternity to get there. In
hindsight, what's interesting is the people who passed me during that
climb were around me on Leg 10, so we hovered around them the whole
race. This included one young lady who would be my "rabbit" - the one
who was always slightly ahead and I would try to keep up with. I rolled
into the Exchange, handed off to Lonnie, and took a moment to savor
completing my first leg, and throw cool towels on me to try to cool
down. It would take the majority of Lonnie's leg in the car for my
brains to cool to the point where I felt normal again.

As John pulled into the exchange and handed the baton to Lonnie we'd put 99 miles behind us.

428 more lay on the horizon...

Riding Support

"Downhill Fast"

Lonnie, Cyclist 3, was our descender.
Science
has yet to fully explain how a human can keep a bicycle upright and
propel it forward. Couple that with the fact that bicycle helmet
manufacturers readily admit their products are not designed to prevent
concussion, but simply built in the hopes of keeping the skull from
fracturing. Add to all this, the realization that cyclists wear less body
protection racing than the average person does while sleeping at night
and mix in speeds of 55mph+ and you see why a good descender is a
concoction of talent and crazy.
For Lonnie it meant he was Keep It
Clean's "Cyclist #3". Who not only needed to be good at descending but
would have to put in the most miles at the worst times of any team
member. It also meant he'd have to start his first leg with a 5 mile
climb, something he readily admitted was a weak point. We'd misjudged
the steepness of this climb and because of it, Lonnie had selected a
bike that really wasn't compatible for the terrain. We'd also forgot to
factor another number into the equation: 105.
That being the temperature.
It
was my turn to drive. We'd gotten into a rhythm of driving ahead 5-10
miles, waiting with water, handing it off as the rider passed then
shooting up the road to do it again. As Lonnie pressed through the heat
of the afternoon desert sun the water exchanges became more frequent.
And our concern of if we had enough to last through the day elevated.
Another factor on our mind was rubber; the air temperature was hoovering
around 105 degrees which meant the road surface could be 125+. Bike
tires are 23mm wide and highly pressurized, we'd made it this far
without a puncture, could we make it through the heat without a melt
down?
With 10 miles left in Lonnie's leg we asked Dave how much
time he needed to warm up before the baton was handed to him. His
response "It's 105 degrees, I think I'm warm enough."
We stayed
with Lonnie a few more miles then headed to the base of the Colorado
River and Lake Powell in anticipation of "Leg 4, Cyclist 4". It was
easier to do with Bambi driving a second support vehicle, but more on
that later...

Riding Support

"The Deciding Leg"

On
paper, Cyclist #4 seemed to have the easiest rotation of the four man
teams. Overall the rotation had the least amount of climbing over the
shortest distance all at decent riding times. But as any cyclist will
tell you, what's on paper isn't in the air. Muscles are powered by
electric current that travel through the water that makes up most of our
bodies. And heat can do strange things to the human body when it's
pushing itself to the brink. Wind is the cyclist's worst enemy and the
invisible enemy can beat you harder than looking up a class 1 climb.
I'm sure Dave, Cyclist #4, of Keep It Clean can attest to that.
As he took the baton from Lonnie, the race was about to explode.
With
the temperature still sitting well above 100 degrees and the asphalt
having all day to soak up the sun's rays, Dave worked his way through
and up a canyon out of the river basin and onto a barren desert plateau.
Endless miles stretched out in front of him with no protection in
sight. And the wind was picking up. The route's direction took a minor
change in direction and for most of the next 40 miles Dave would battle
the worst kind of wind in the searing heat . It was coming from his "10
o'clock" which meant he was being punished with a head wind and having
to deal with the unpredictable dangers of a cross wind. There was
nothing to block the wind or seek shade in. But through it all his
piston-like legs churned over in machine-like precision across the high
desert, chasing the setting sun. As we followed, cheered and marveled at
his tenacity, I counted no less than five competitors who had simply
stopped pedaling, laid their bikes down, sat alongside the road waiting
for their team to come pick them up. Later I would learn that 12 teams
had quit the race during this leg. Mother Nature turning what, on paper,
looked like the easiest leg into, statistically, the most brutal. In
amongst the carnage of man vs nature I don't think Dave broke his pedal
stroke once.

Riding Support

"She Saved My Butt"

As
we shot ahead so I could get ready for my second leg, I'd told Bambi to
stay with Dave and lead him out as he got close to the exchange. In the
dimming light I figured it'd be easier to spot him approaching with a
car as a beacon. An unsung hero in every one of my races I've ever done
is Bambi. And in this race she outdid herself again. While the four of
us on the team took turns driving, sitting and sleeping in the van she
drove the entire course and helped numerous teams. Those that know her
medical condition understand the difficulty this presents and the stress
she put her body through.
I remember three different riders on
other teams tell me that she saved them. When they needed something and
their support car was nowhere in sight she never hesitated to give them
something of ours. Others talked about how comforting her voice was and
how upbeat her cheering was for all the racers, regardless of what name
was on their jersey.
One competitor told me, "I'm certain if the
two of us both had flat tires and she only had one tube left she'd give
it to me instead of you."
I'm certain she would too, and I would expect no less.

As
I saw the headlights of the Bambi-mobile come over the last crest I
double checked my equipment and got ready for the exchange. It was
almost 12 hours to the minute that I'd done this at the starting line.

Part Four: Into The Darkness

"Demons"

A
lifespan of severe concussions has left me dealing with the symptoms of
Traumatic Brain Injury. Few people, up until this writing, know that I
struggle with acute depression, high anxiety, aphasia, Alexithmia and
Isolation Phobia caused by multiple high level concussions. Little did I
know that as I pedaled away from the exchange that my second turn on
the bike would be a metaphor of why I ride.
This leg would be the
easiest of my three turns. At 45 miles it was 9 miles shorter than the
first leg and had half the climbing. But it was literally all uphill and
I would have no place to coast. I pulled out of the exchange spot at
the same time as another rider. The wind had calmed considerably since Lonnie and Dave's turns but was still blowing hard. The other rider
and I quickly agreed to work together and we began taking 60 second
turns in the wind. Not far down the road we'd already caught another
cyclist and enlisted him. The three of us worked like clockwork and it
wasn't long before we were rewarded by catching up to a group of four
riders. Introductions were made and we quickly fell into an echelon (a
type of pace line developed to protect racers from crosswinds). As the
sun dipped below the horizon our bike headlights slowly clicked on one-by-one. Then some
of us realized a problem. UDOT requires cyclists to wear reflective
vests at night. The race rules stated that any cyclist caught without a vest on at night would be instantly disqualified. Some of us had forgot
to pack our vests at the exchange. This close to the checkpoint all of
the support vehicles were within reach and the pace line broke ranks and
headed to their respective cars. Bambi shot ahead stood alongside the
road holding my vest out for me to grab like a knight in a jousting
contest. We've passed things in this manner countless times and even
practice it. I skirted the edge of the road, lined my hand up to her
level, zipped by, BAM!
And just like that I was looking back at the
vest laying on the ground. I'd missed the hand-off! I'm not sure which one of us was
more shocked. Quickly she'd scooped it up and headed farther up the
road. The second time we'd got it right and soon I was back in the pace
line.
A pace line has a hidden benefit in a long race. You have no
time to watch your computer and see the miles click away. With too many
things happening in too close quarters at too high of speed you have to
watch the other riders and make sure you see what's coming up ahead.
The miles quickly pass away.
Darkness fell, we were about 18 miles
into the leg. I'd only packed one Bonk Breaker figuring I could get
another from the support vehicle when I needed it. I'd only filled one
bottle figuring I could get another one from the support vehicle when
needed. I'd only eaten a handful of peanuts, two cookies and drank a
Pepsi since 11:00am
The outside world was dark already. Soon the world inside my head would go just as dark.
First
my teammates pulled alongside me, I informed them I was okay and to go
up ahead. Quickly, Bambi pulled alongside, I told her I needed more
water. She'd go 2 miles up and pass me a bottle there. Both cars sped
out of sight. Then almost instantly after that the pace line fell apart.
A couple of the cyclist pressed ahead, some fell off the pace.
In
the indescribable darkness of a lonely desert road I was left alone. It
was surreal. I had no concept of speed or distance. It was almost like
being on a stationary bike. I could sense movement but at the same time
felt like I wasn't going anywhere. And worse, I started to feel
abandoned.
I reached for my water bidon tucked directly under my
saddle, quenched my thirst then reached down to replace the bottle in
its cage. In the complete darkness I heard a gut wrenching sound; a
plastic bottle bouncing off asphalt and into the dirt. I'd missed my
cage and lost my water. No worries, I knew Bambi was just around the
corner with food and water and the guys were just beyond that with a
joke or two.
I pedaled on.
Little did I know that both she
and the team had lost track of me. I was without fuel and water, and
alone. My demons were in hot pursuit and on a mission.
Another
thing we'd not anticipated was the utter confusion of trying to single
out an individual rider in the complete darkness. The bike colors and
distinct frames were useless in the black. The oncoming headlights on a
bike are blinding and make body shapes and features unreadable. And 100
riders were now wearing yellow vests over their normally original and
different colored kits.
I usually ride self-supported, carrying
everything I need for the length of ride I'm doing but for some reason I
chose not to this time. It was a perfect storm.
A few miles passed, no Bambi. A couple more, no team. The demons have many names and Detachment caught me from behind first.
It
told me my support had abandoned me because they didn't care. I wasn't
worth it. They'd probably decided to race on without me. In the
darkness, without a focal point to ride toward, I began to believe
Detachment. I wasn't going anywhere, I wasn't getting any farther, I
wasn't pedaling fast enough.
(Later the numbers would show I was above my own predicted speed)
I
needed water.
I needed food.
In honesty, I probably didn't need any of this but my
mind was siding with my isolated emotions. What I probably needed was
someone to drive by and tell me I was doing a good job. None came.
But Skepticism showed up. All I wanted to do was quit. Stop pedaling. There's no reason to keep going. Just give up.
(Again, the data would show I was fine)
But Angst came up and told me a different story. And I despised cycling.
I detested my bike.
I hated myself for doing this.
It's difficult to explain but what usually makes me happy, at times like this, causes the most pain
But
as dark as it gets inside my soul at moments like this, as foggy as my
mind becomes, as useless as my emotions make me feel, somewhere, way
down deep, the real me struggles to win.
Just one more pedal and you can quit.
Quit on your own terms, just do one more pedal.
One more pedal.
I kept pedaling, kept pushing, kept trying to shake the demons.
My
heart rate elevated. My pulse continued to rise at an alarming rate. I
started throwing up on the bike. My body and mind were teaming up and shutting down.
One more pedal, then you can quit.
And then, the sound of a familiar car and a comforting voice. "There you are!"
Unfortunately,
there Bambi was, and no one else. She would have to endure the brunt of
my tongue lashing. And then, just as quick, lights up ahead pointing
the way to the exchange.
Bambi asked what I needed.
"Go tell the guys I'm pissed!"
They deserved a little warning of the tornado coming their way.
In
one of our greatest battles in the darkest of nights and most desolate
roads, I'd, once again, outran my demons. They'll regroup and be back soon and I'll
get back on my bike and ride until they go away...

Part Five: Through The Night.

"A Different Point of View"

John's
second leg would take us up and over the first of two major mountain
passes; Boulder Mountain. In previous years this was the leg where
disaster had struck. Last year alone a cyclist had hit a deer at full
speed and another had broken bones while wrecking on a dilapidated
cattle guard. This was where his designation as our "all-arounder" would
be put to the test. He'd be our climber as he confronted the steep
pitches on his way to the summit, then he'd be our descender as he
rocketed down the 8-10% grades toward the Escalante desert. And we
expected him to do it with the workhorse effort of our power rider. None
of us had got much sleep and he'd be doing it at an unusual time for a
cyclist to be out on a bike: midnight. And there were no glass slippers
in view.
As we caught up to him the difference in reasons to ride
was immediately apparent. As I felt the darkness as surreal and
uninviting, John was describing how serene and beautiful it was. I had
literally seen and heard nothing but black. He'd seen bats and other
small animals and was enjoying the rustling of leaves and the trickle of
rapids from a stream close by. And the smile on his face was describing
the journey on it's own.
Bambi had went ahead to Panguitch to get
some sleep through the night where she would rejoin us as my final leg
kicked off there.
I needed some sleep, but I couldn't. It was so
much fun and such a new experience to be engulfed in a race like this
that my few attempts to lay in the back of the van and close my eyes
were futile.
I also needed to eat. But I soon realized that my
nutrition was speeding ahead to my next checkpoint, over 100 miles southwest. All I had to eat was a few cookies, a half jar of peanuts and
a diet Pepsi. I knew this wasn't good. I tried to distract my stomach
by watching John race down Boulder Mountain but the thought of riding up
Lake Hill with no fuel had my gut turning.
Before the race it was
suggested that during this descent that we put the car out in front of
the cyclist so they could follow the tail lights as the terrain
unfolded. But we soon discovered that it was easier for John when we got
directly behind him and shined our high beams to light up the road from
behind.
So now we were asking John to ride down a 10% grade he
was unfamiliar with, in the dark, on no sleep with a van pulling a
trailer doing 45mph mere feet behind him.
God watches over his Misfits.

"A Different Point of View"

(John Beechen's view from the bike)

I
was always looking forward to riding Leg 6. It was short - 40 miles,
but involved climbing up and over Boulder Mountain from 6500ft at the
starting point in Torrey UT to the summit at 9600ft, and then down the
descent to Boulder UT at 6500ft again. Before the race I had listened
to people talking about Boulder Mountain and their tones would always
grow hushed and the warnings would begin. "Watch out for the cattle
grids ... watch out for the cattle in the middle of the road .... it's
open range you know .... last year guys crashed and broke bones". I
knew I had to take it easy on the descent to avoid these calamities,
but I also knew that in the moment I would probably let the rush of
speed get the better of me.
I should start by saying that the last
time I rode at night was when I was about 13. It's not something I
make a habit of - Colorado tends to remain cool in the light of day due
to elevation, so there's no need for early morning starts or late
night rides. When I considered this leg, starting at about 11pm and ending at 2am,
I relished the adventure of it, the uniqueness of riding at night.
Also riding a mountain is always what cycling is about for me - it's
the reason I moved to Colorado, to ride bikes on mountains! What I did
not anticipate was how beautiful the ride would be because of the cool
of the night. The heat from Leg 2 had zapped my energy, but this ride,
with the temps in the low 70s, was tailor made for enjoyment. We got
the the exchange and I kitted up and fitted the lights to my bike. I
had a headlamp on, my vest with flashing LEDs front and back, a
flashing tail light. We had jumped to the exchange to fit all of these
devices to the bike, leaving Eric in Bambi's hands, assuming she would
give water and support, but foolishly leaving him literally high and
dry on the final climbs. He would arrive out of water, and pass off to
me - I left the exchange to some heated words between my teammates,
but that was not of my concern at this point as the "live" rider. I
set off on a 3-4% incline climb, expecting this to be the mountain I
would be on for the next couple of hours. The lights were great - I
could see far enough, but all around me was darkness. As Eric has said
- the world tends to be still, like you are in a void where all you
hear is your heartbeat and the sounds of the road on your wheels. We
needed to make a left hand turn after about 2 miles. A fellow rider
came up behind me and we shared pleasantries. At most turns, there
were lighted signs with flashing lights to indicate a turn ahead. This
one had failed however and there was no indication - probably in the
place in the whole race where it needed it most. Luckily my GPS had
maps on it and I could see the road I needed. My fellow rider however
blew past this intersection and rode off into the night in the wrong
direction. I yelled out to him to turn but he kept on going - I
continued past the intersection but eventually had to turn and leave
him to his own devices. The initial slopes of the climb were flat,
almost downhill. I caught another rider and we zoomed along - the wind
was non-existent and talking was easy, such as contrast from Dave's leg
4 where the wind overpowered everything. I felt good - strong,
enjoying the experience of night riding. When the ramps finally came I
relished them - enjoying the resistance. I stayed with my new friend
for a while, but as with all climbs it's largely a personal experience
and eventually he pulled ahead and I let him go to pickup my own tempo.
When the van would pull aside, Lonnie would launch into his humor - He pointed out I was
lit up like a "pole dancer" I couldn't help but laugh. I was
determined to eat more this leg - but the granola bar I bit into
crumbled and stuck to my hands. When you are climbing your breathing
becomes ragged and so eating and drinking is a challenge as you need to
fit the food and liquid in between breaths. Let's just say Team Keep It
Clean wasn't as environmentally friendly with its refuse as it should
have been. The climb seemed to go on forever. I recall at one
particularly steep part - 10-12% looking up ahead and seeing lights
swaying from side to side as riders were out of the saddle weaving their
way up the mountain. I saw a bunch jump into vans at this point - the
non competitive riders would ride as teams, then swap out for other
riders. I prefer to stay seated mostly, gearing down and upping my
cadence to keep my speed up. I wish I could ride up these hills faster
than I do, but your physiology will only let you do so much. The
curious thing about cycling for me, is it is a sport I know I will
never be great at. I can be adequate, I can be good - but at my age
and with a limited lung capacity I will always run into stronger,
faster riders. That I obsess about this sport so much with that
knowledge is a mystery to me. Why don't I go play golf where I could
beat most people? Why don't I excel in the corporate world where I can
outwit people? No - I choose to apply myself to something that I will
only ever been mediocre at. I suspect it's the health aspects of it -
the ability to find strength in suffering, to push yourself harder than
you think possible, to ride distances that people think are insane, to
look svelte in a society where most people are overweight. It must be
the endorphins too - the smile I get when riding is a result of all of
this. You'll find cyclists writing like this because in the midst of
climbing a mountain, this is where your thoughts go - to esoteric
questions of life, love, quest, belief - the mind freed from everything
other than the next pedal stroke to a simpler place where it feels at
home. And so I ride on, up the mountain. Eyes on the elevation on my
GPS, knowing when it hits 9600ft I'm home. I hit 8000ft - not far now.
I reach a false flat and am almost annoyed at the downhill because it
means my elevation isn't going up. I adjust the light, noticing now
I'm doing some pace that it's pointing up into the trees rather than
ahead on the road. I can't see any of the beauty around me - I know it's
there, but I cant see it. Finally I reach the summit. I stop for a
jacket, which is essential for the cold descent. A couple of riders I
passed fly by me. I put the jacket on. Wait I just put it on over the
lighted vest. I take it off again and redo the vest on the outside of
the jacket and push off. I had asked the van to go ahead of me to
light up the road but I found as we got going that having the van
behind me lighting up the road was just perfect. I tuck in and feel
the speed increasing. My max speed would be just under 50mph. It was
without doubt the best descending experience of my life - winging down
the mountain, trusted support lighting up the road right behind me -
our caravan flying down the mountain. I didn't see any steers on the
descent, but I did see bats. They would swoop down into the lights and
miss you at the last second. I suspect their ability to detect and
avoid you was great but I do vividly recall ducking on a few occasions.
I caught a rider on the descent, and teamed up with him for the last
few miles. He asked where I was from - "Boulder CO", I said. "Welcome to
Boulder Utah" was the reply. At that moment, with the van heading forward
to get to the exchange, my lights ran out of battery. I had to stay
with him now - he was my light. He pulled ahead 10-12 bike lengths - I
had to sprint into the darkness to catch him. The lights of Boulder
appeared ahead - I was smiling. I was happy. I was home.

Through The Night

"Like A Bat Out Of Hell"

It had only taken us half the race to get it down but our exchanges were starting to look more fluid and less like a bunch of Keystone Cops that they'd been early in the race. What had taken a minimum 20 minutes the first time was taking about 5 minutes now. Lonnie's team bike trailer was perfect. We could rotate the bikes so the bike of the next rider up was in the front ready to go and the rider's bike just finishing was rotated to the back. The bikes, wheels and equipment were all protected and secured, easing that concern.

John passed the baton and his vest to Lonnie who took off in the dark. We figured this would be the most strenuous leg mentally. It was 2:00am. Seriously, who rides a bike at this time? Not even me.

The descent off Boulder Mountain was just a taste of things to come. Up ahead the road continued to unfurl like a ribbon down to the Escalante River, including part of the legendary back-road "Hell's Backbone". Lonnie attacked it like a hungry dog eating a bone. He'd patiently waited throughout the day and all of his first leg to display his strength on a bike and he didn't disappoint.

It was my turn to drive and we'd learned quick that it was best to stay behind the rider on the steep descents and light up the way for him from behind. It saved my reputation as a guy. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd started in front of him, he would have passed me anyways. In front of us Lonnie tucked, dipped and leaned like he and his bike were part of the terrain. Man has always wanted to sprout wings and take flight; what was happening in front of us was as close as humans can get without a plane. As he approached and passed slower riders and cautious vehicles he looked like a hawk swooping down on prey.

The fun was over way too fast as the canyon bottomed out and he began the climb up the other side.

We took off ahead knowing "The Blues" would give us another taste of Lonnie's skills. What we didn't know was were about to play a game of deja vu.

We drove to the top of the climb and waited to pass fresh water to him.

A few cyclist passed, then a few more, then more. No Lonnie.

He wasn't our strongest climber, but something was wrong. He could walk his bike up in this time. Other support vehicles has gone by, we were confident that if he'd suffered a "Mechanical" they would have helped or let us know.

There was no denying now. We'd lost another rider!

We calculated how far he could have got at an average speed of 16mph and headed to that mileage. Nothing. (Later we found out we'd missed him by about 1/4 mile) We doubled back. Nothing. After about an hour and driving in circles we saw his distinct shape in the head lights.

"Where the Hell have you been?"

"Eating pizza." was all I could muster. I knew the feeling all too well.

I wanted pizza. I was desperately wishing I had a slice. But my food was sitting in a car 3 hours, by bike, up the way. I knew I couldn't tackle my last leg without fuel but there was a more immediate concern. I knew what "The Blues" looked like in the day, from a car. Lonnie was going to go off them on a bike, at night.

As he set off the edge of the section of road I couldn't keep up with him. I'd like to blame it on the fact that I was driving a van, hauling a trailer, but it was due more to the fact that he's a crazy son of a ...

I was hitting speeds of 55+

When he was at the bottom and on flatter ground we got him another water bottle and went ahead to the next exchange point.

We'd made it safely through the night. And were gaining back some of the time that the wind had stole from us. We also learned we were sitting in 41st place.

Through The Night

"Running From The Sun"

As we pulled into the exchange point I was pointing out my mother's childhood home. It was right across the street from the exchange area. We were in familiar territory. This is where my family is from. This is where I learned to truly race a road bike. I'd spent 15 of my adult years raising my children here. It was a welcome sight.

The sun was teasing us just below the horizon. It seemed to linger there forever, not wanting to show itself to the weary racers. Dave and I were staring at the dim light of dawn waiting for the sun to peek over the plateau to our east. He was picking my brain for information on the road conditions, terrain, weather tendencies and intangibles of my former training grounds. I gave him a few more pointers on what the locals call "The Dump"- a steep climb from the bottom of Bryce Canyon to the top of the Pansagaunt Plateau. He then asked if he should wear a safety vest. We both agreed there was no more need for it. He'd be starting his leg at 5,500 feet but would climb to almost 8,000 feet elevation and we discussed whether or not he'd need his base layer or jacket. It was finally decided that if he needed it at the higher elevations we could pass it to him on his bike.

It always surprised me how fast the incoming cyclist got to the exchange. We'd shoot ahead in the van to allow the outgoing cyclist to get prepped when before they were ready the incoming rider would be in sight and we'd be scrambling to get the outgoing rider on his bike with all his equipment.

Dave and I continued our discussion. We were debating the need for lights on the bike. I didn't think there was a need, but Dave finally went with the smart decision and wanted them on the bike when a cyclist appeared and we recognized it as Lonnie coming in fast.

Dave snapped on his helmet, clicked his shoes into his pedal, took the baton from Lonnie and was gone.

We didn't have time to attach his headlight.

"I guess that settles that!" I yelled, as Dave looked back and grinned.

Then I smelled an inviting aroma of eggs, cooked like only they could be in this part of the country. I thought I was hallucinating until the sound of a dutch oven sizzling confirmed it.

This was "sun up" in Southern Utah, more directly, Garfield County and more precisely, Bryce Valley. And there's only one real way to cook breakfast in these parts. I followed the smell and sound to a couple guys hunched over some dutch ovens; tortillas, eggs, hash browns, and bacon.

Lonnie had beat me to it.

I made a big breakfast burrito and started devouring it. It was close enough to my normal pre-race meal that it was perfect. It was my first real meal in over 24 hours. The only thing missing was a Diet Pepsi.

But, this was "sun up" in Southern Utah, more directly, Garfield County and more precisely, Bryce Valley. And there wasn't going to be a store open in these parts until someone was good and ready to open one...

We chased after our rider. I was feeling the strength coming back to my body already. The food hadn't digested yet but the thought that I wouldn't have to confront my final leg on empty was a big boost.Because our exchanges were getting quicker we were able to catch up to Dave pretty quick. As we'd expected, he was hammerin' away. It was a lesson on cycling just to watch him. Every time we spotted him we all marveled at how smooth he was on a bike. When I'm on a bike I feel it must be like watching me try to cross a bed of spiders with my feet flailing about and body bouncing all over. I think you could have put a glass of water on Dave's head and he wouldn't have spilled a drop the entire race. I don't ride as straight a line on a stationary bike as Dave does out on the road. We continued to leap frog Dave and marvel at his riding form. It was a vastly different experience than the last time he was on the bike. His first leg he'd closed the curtain on the day as he rode into the setting sun; now he was ushering in a new day with the sun peeking over his shoulder. He'd traveled across a barren desert then but was now tucked into the cedar trees and mythical Hoo Doos of the famous Bryce Canyon. He'd endured the highest temperatures and now was contemplating putting on a jacket. What do you do when you're watching a robot propel a bike?Well, you can take the cyclist out of Australia but you can't take the Aussie out of the cyclist. John pulled the van over, opened the rear hatch, pulled out a backpacking propane stove and started boiling water."You want some tea?" he asked.I'm pretty sure that was the first time I'd been asked that in the middle of a race: I'd be willing to bet it'll be the last.As John was finishing his cup, Dave shot by.I got back in the van. Lonnie lifted his head up from the rear seat. "What's going on?"I shook my head, "You don't want to know, go back to sleep."I'm not sure why the locals call it "The Dump". Living here I'd learned sometimes it's best not to ask questions. But there's a historical marker at the top commemorating the lives lost in a tragic event when a commercial plane couldn't get over it and crashed into the side of Bryce Canyon. The first time I rode a bike up it I questioned the logic of doing such a thing. If planes can't get over this, why would you want to ride a bike to the top?!We pulled the van over and waited as Dave crest the summit. We passed him some equipment and headed toward the other side of the plateau and Red Canyon. Halfway across there's a tourist trap gas station, and it was open! I had my Diet Pepsi. I didn't ask how much. There are somethings you just can't put a price on.It was also the first place we had reliable cell phone service since we set off from the starting line. I text Bambi and asked the temperature in Panguitch.When her response came through I sent another text: Get my cold weather gear ready.It was downhill to Panguitch and I knew Dave was going to push hard to the end. We checked on him again and sped away to give me some extra time to put my base layer on. My dad was there waiting with my step-daughter, Paige. Dave's leg had traveled from the steps of my mom's childhood home to the center of the town where my dad was born and raised. I gave quick hugs but knew I had little time to change and get ready, with Dave bearing down on the exchange location. I changed in the car, ran back to the van, John handed me my bike, I ran through an abbreviated checklist, swooped around and Dave was passing me the baton. It was as if we'd practiced it many times before. We'd all finished 2 of our legs. each of us had one more turn left on the bike.I wanted to set the tone for the last third of the race.And an old friend was waiting just around the corner...

Part Six: Easy Like Sunday Morning...

"Saying Hi To An Old Friend"

I took the baton and wrapped it around my handlebars. A quick glance at my bike computer showed it was 7:45am. Lonnie and Dave had put us 15 minutes ahead of schedule and my first thought was- good, I can be 15 minutes slower than projected and the team will still be on schedule. There was a cyclist just behind me as I headed out of the checkpoint. 1/4 mile up the road I turned south onto Hwy 143 and all seemed right in the world. This is my sanctuary; the demons aren't allowed here. I'm sure every cyclist has that road that is their personal favorite and place they make their ultimate self evaluations of their skills. The next 4.82 miles is mine. The locals call it "Lake Hill". I call it an old friend. All I am and ever will be as a cyclist is because of this hill. The first time I attempted this climb I was a 6'1", 210 pound weightlifter with high blood pressure. A cyclist friend of mine challenged me to ride up Lake Hill on our lunch break. It took me 48 minutes to reach the top and 8 hours before I had the strength back in my body to struggle my way home late that night. That day, that ride, changed my life.When I finally made it home from the office I swore to myself, in front of Bambi, that I'd never be that aerobically out of shape again.On this day, I'd attack Lake Hill at 142 pounds (give or take a scrumptious breakfast burrito) with a resting heart rate of 36 bpms. Lake Hill takes a 1.5 mile gradual climb from the main intersection in town before it pitches skyward and imitates The Tower of Babel. Up ahead, at the base of the steep pitch I spotted 4 cyclists. My arms stretched out as I cupped the tops of my hoods (brake levers) in my distinct posture on the bike. Two sleepless nights, poor nutrition choices and an emotional breakdown were long forgotten. I had a rear wheel to chase down!I knew every dip, every line of every turn, the smooth spots, the potholes, and most important, what lay ahead of each. I've never named a bike before this one. In fact, I've never named a piece of sporting equipment like is very common among male athletes. But on a tough, strenuous training ride for this race I had dubbed my loyal steed. I looked down, "Let's see what we've got today, Sherpa."I'd barely made it onto the steep section when I caught one of the four riders. It was my "rabbit" that had always seemed to be in front of us no matter what we did as a team. I stood up and blew by him without hesitation. It was an exhilarating moment to punctuate my part of the race. The next three cyclists didn't take to being caught so willingly. I'd come within breathing distance but had expelled a lot of energy in doing so. We were about halfway up Lake Hill. They were three college age kids working together and before I could latch on they lept forward, leaving me unable to use their draft to give my legs a break. Our speeds were relatively matched from there on as I kept them within sight. Bambi was only bouncing ahead to the next available pull off. We'd both been looking forward to this day for a long time. Her pride shined through her grin. I felt good, I felt comfortable, I felt strong.I pedaled on relentlessly trying to shake my shadow that was matching me move for move on my right. Familiar sights on the road whizzed by and 15 minutes, and 1 second later I crest the summit.I pounded my handlebars in disgust. It was far slower than my PR. But like I've done on every ascent of Lake Hill since that watershed first time I did a quick calculation in my head. It was an astounding 33 minutes faster than my first attempt. Always something to grin about and remember.I brought my chain back up into the big ring and power gears. Pressed on toward the rear wheel ahead and tried escaping my tenacious shadow that taunts me ever so.I'd packed light for this attack and in cycling that means trading risk for speed. For every extra pound a cyclist carries- be it body weight, bike weight or equipment- it costs 20 seconds per pound per mile up an average 6% grade. I wasn't telling anyone of this plan. No need to cause any unnecessary stress on those that wouldn't have had a say on the decision. I'd left my extra tube, pump and lever behind knowing that if I "punctured" it would be excruciating minutes waiting for the support vehicle to show up with them. I'd also left my nutrition to cut another 2.5 ounces. It was time for more water. I tossed the empty bidon and had Bambi pass me a fresh water bottle from the moving car. As soon as I was certain she wasn't looking I dumped half the bottle out before placing it in the cage. She'd kill me if she knew I was only carrying half a bottle with me but it was another 10 fewer ounces to carry. Water bottles were in great supply; speed was in demand.The familiar road laid out ahead of me and I could feel it in my mind: 5 steep climbs in a series of steps, over the next 17 miles, that would take me to the bottom of Panguitch Lake. Each of the 5 distinguishable pitches were recognizable by landmarks close by. They were Haycock Mtn., White Rock, Tebbs' Ranch, The Narrows and Pass Creek. each a different length and gradient, each a different challenge. And in between the road climbed unforgivably to the next. I knew them all, and more important, what lay beyond each. I knew how much energy I could use on each climb and how much to keep in reserve for the one ahead. And this time I had more than the data being fed to me from my computer, and the knowledge of past attempts to tell me how I was doing. I had three bikes up ahead as a judging factor as well.Each climb, each change of gradient in the road, I would shorten the distance between my front tire and their rear tires. Unfortunately, each downhill slope, each leveling of the road, they would increase it. As someone once told me- you can't expect to go down like a bowling ball when you go up like a feather. We were playing a game of accordion. Stretching and squeezing to the music of the terrain. But each time I passed a landmark I could tell the overall distance was becoming shorter. I was methodically reeling them in like a fish out of Panguitch Lake. As the last climb from Pass Creek to the lake came into view I could see them ahead. A quick calculation in my mind said I didn't have enough distance to catch them before the top. Now it was just pride; close the gap as much as possible and go from there. Each pedal rotation built my confidence. I kept reeling, kept driving upward. As the lake approached and I knew I was over the top, I saw my teammates and Bambi standing alongside the road. With them, a large group of support vehicles had gathered. As I passed by I asked a question, to no one in particular, "Am I catching them?"Many voices echoed back, "Yes!""**** them, then!" I screamed and increased my speed in pursuit.Bambi later told me a person from another team had asked who I was directing the comment to, concerned their rider might have offended me."Does it matter?" she replied, truthfully."I guess not." He smiled back.What makes a boat race? Another sail on the horizon. What makes a bike race? A wheel in front of you.At the top of the lake there's a small church building. Bambi snapped a photo as I passed by it. She did it so I could see myself in my element. Smiling, loose, full of life. Even though it was Saturday she said a song popped into her head when she saw the visual at that moment. I was making a tough climb look "Easy Like Sunday Morning..."I'm glad that was the image I was projecting. Inside was a different story. I was pushing my body as hard as I could. There were three more tough climbs between Panguitch Lake and the exchange point. I needed nutrition but I had a problem.I was weak and shaky. I wasn't comfortable taking food from a moving car without putting us both in danger. Bambi shot ahead for another stationary pass. A Bonk Breaker is 2"x2". It was going to be like a knight getting the ring at a jousting contest. I zipped by at 20mph reached out and snagged it. I felt like I'd won the giant teddy bear at the county fair ring toss. The group of three cyclists I was chasing were starting to fall apart and before the top of the next climb I'd caught and passed one. One cyclist, one climb down; two more of each to go.After the second climb there was one of the few steep descentsI'd experienced over the race. as we fell farther and faster toward Mammoth Creek, I saw my work slip away. They were increasing the gap again. As the descent bottomed out and crossed the creek, the team passed by. I requested water at the top and began my last long climb of the race. I was tired and could feel it in my pedaling. It was forced. My cadence had dropped to half of what I'd been averaging. My legs were screaming for oxygen in the thin air. Right before the top I sprayed the remaining water from my bottle all over myself to cool down, grabbed a fresh bottle from John and pushed over the edge. As the road leveled off I went to shift back into my big ring, shook my head and laughed at myself. I was already in my big ring. I'd forgot to drop into the easier climbing ring as I started the ascent. I'd done it with 10 gears in reserve. In a way it relieved me knowing that I wasn't as tired as I thought. At the top of the final climb was another gift. The second rider of the group had fallen off the pace and was coming back to me. I moved over and started pedaling past the cyclist half my age. Then wondered if I was passing a cyclist or if an opportunity was passing me. I eased up half a mile an hour."Jump on." I said, the universal invitation to draft."I'm cooked." he replied. The universal permission to carry on."Jump on for two minutes and get your legs back!" I demanded.He'd impressed me all the way up my favorite section of road. We carried on, me leading the way, him learning good cycling etiquette. With a mile to go on my time on the bike I saw the last of the group I'd chased up the hill. His head down, bike swaying from side to side."I remember you now," I said. "You dropped me last night in the dark."He looked over at me. "Yeah, and now you're gonna drop me before we're done and we'll be even."I put a reassuring hand on his back. "No, we finish this together."The three of us entered the checkpoint side by side. I'd sacrificed a few seconds, in the most significant race in my career to help a couple other guys finish the race.It was a good trade.In essence Rockwell was over for me. I'd put 136.5 miles and 12,000 feet of climbing in for the team. I'd averaged 17mph over mostly uphill terrain while completing over 46,000 pedal rotations. But most important, in what I consider my specialty, I'd set a Personal Record from Panguitch to Panguitch Lake and given my teammates of Keep It Clean my best effort when it mattered most.I snapped a few pictures, shook some hands with other teams' Cyclists #1, and savored all the sights and sounds of another cycling accomplishment completed.Then I returned to the task at hand and realized John was out on the road, on what would be the fastest of the 12 legs. If we hung too long he'd beat us to the next exchange...

Part Seven: Bringing It Home

"A Change of Course"

When we'd sent in our registration for the race the route had me taking us to the top of Cedar Mountain then passing the baton to John who wouldn't have had much more than a long coast down to his exchange. But a late course change was now causing him to do the last 11 miles or so and 1,000 feet of climbing to the top before he could take the wild ride down. I'm sure he won't soon let me forget that he had to finish the climb for me.I could sense a change in emotion in all of us. We could see the end in sight. One more time on the bike and it would all be over. In the climb to the top of Cedar Mtn, we talked more, joked more and laughed more than the rest of the trip combined.We didn't stay with John long after he'd made it over the top. It was a screaming 19 mile flight from there to the exchange and it was going to take place in about 30 minutes.

Bringing It Home

"A Change in Course"

(John Beechen's view from the bike)

Eric had mentioned somewhere around dawn I think, that "all I had to do
was 12 more miles of uphill, then it was ALL downhill to the end of my
Rockwell Relay". This made me smile - it defined the endpoint which by
this stage was highly sought after. I was giddy thinking of finishing
my 3 leg duties. My mind got a little cruel also - "Ill be finished and
you guys will still have 1 more leg to go - hehehe (evil laugh)". It
seemed so simple, but riding on 1hr of sleep is a much more complicated
deal that you would think. Sleep is a cyclists best method (other than
food) of recovery. Pro riders sleep about 10hrs a night during a grand
tour - the act floods the system with all the things it needs to
recovery and replenish. No sleep on the other hand, magnifies
everything - breathing is more difficult, muscles don't want to work the
way they have, digestion becomes a problem, the heat seems to dehydrate
you quicker. This leg would become one of my hardest, despite the fact
it was the shortest (31 miles, 19 of which were downhill!).

I kitted up (The Sufferfest.com
kit!) and waited for Eric who was in his familiar territory climbing
his home climb. It was great to see him out there on his turf - I could
see the enjoyment and determination as he rode over every bump he knew
so well. We exchanged and I had a mile of downhill before the hill
started. I knew this would be tough as soon as I started pedaling -
everything felt tight. I couldn't breathe very well and my legs felt
like stumps. As I got onto the climb it started feeling better - the
system warms up and the rhythm begins. I was being passed by some
riders (including a particular cute Utah State University rider who I
designated my rabbit but never could catch) but felt good at my speed.
The van came up and I enjoyed some witty repartee with my fellow
riders. It was nice to see all 3 of them in the van this time - felt
like a team of misfits. At one stage I spat water at them - we all
laughed. They teased me about my rabbit. I told them I was imaging my
wife in a compromising position about 50yds ahead and was riding towards
that. Fun stuff.

The last 3 miles were tough. I bonked again - the
exhaustion of no sleep and inadequate food was too much. I shotgunned 2
GUs in a row and asked for a coke from the van. I could see the end of
the climb ahead, just couldn't reach it. Finally I got there - a
couple of weekend riders came by and suggested I grab their wheel but I
just couldn't and let them go.

The descent was great - not as good as doing it at
night, but long and scenic. Waterfalls and epic canyon walls as I shot
down at 50mph. I knew my race was done, so I tried to soak up the last
of this experience. The adrenaline was keeping me awake and I rolled
into the exchange point. My race was over, and attention turned to
supporting our final two riders in the heat of a Saturday in the never
flat, always hot, southwestern Utah.

Bringing It Home

"The Last Long Haul"

In taking the spot of "Cyclist #3" for the team, Lonnie had drawn the short straw in getting the legs with the longest distances at what seemed like the worst times of the race. He'd already ground out 109 tough miles and was looking at 44 more. And as the clocked hit noon as he pedaled away from the checkpoint, the thermometer was making its way over 90 degrees again. At the exchange point we found out we were still sitting in 40th position. We just couldn't move up the ladder but we all seemed genuinely happy with the outcome to this point. We were safe, comfortable and way ahead of our projected time. We congratulated John on completing his efforts of the race, on the bike. Bambi headed to St. George in anticipation of the finish as we climbed into the van and went in search of Lonnie.

It's been said in cycling- one man's "rolling terrain" is another man's Hell. It takes a tough mentality to constantly adjust to changing gradient and keep the same speed. Lonnie was feeling the Breath of Hades from both the terrain and the weather.

As he trudged across the constantly changing ground of the valley floor the temperature continued to rise. He would spend 2/3 his time on the bike, in this race, battling 95+ degree temps. We rode along, passing water bottles from van, across the valley, through the heat, to our cyclist. It seemed like every mile another team was pulled over and swapping a depleted rider for a fresh one. Even though we knew these teams had pulled out of the competitive division, at the time it was frustrating to watch from the vehicle and discouraging to see from the bike. But while writing this I see it differently. This was such a difficult task that even though those teams had withdrawn from the race they hadn't completely quit and were still giving what they had to cross the finish line on the bike.

As Lonnie passed us at the top of Iron Mountain I looked back over the valley he'd just pedaled across to the mountains in the east. 467 miles lay behind us; 60 more were stretched out in front of us. Moab and the starting line seemed a distant memory but at the same time it felt like I'd been with these men for only a few short hours. I really didn't know much about them but I did know this: I'd sacrifice my legs for all of them and lead any of them out at the finish line of a race.

We jumped back in the van and watched Lonnie as he gave us one more display of his descending talents off that mountain. With about 12 miles left in his final leg Lonnie told us to go on ahead. I think he wanted to savor his accomplishment alone, on the road, by himself.

As was tradition for us now, we waited at the exchange and, like the last ten times, were taken off guard as the incoming cyclist came in faster than anticipated. Dave took the baton for the final time and headed down the road.

We took the obligatory photo commemorating his ride, breathed deep sighs of relief and headed to the convenience store that was the location of the checkpoint and got some ice cold drinks. I cannot confirm, nor deny, the existence of a candy bar in my possession at this point of the race. And any photos that might arise in the future implying confirmation of this accusation should be viewed with prejudicial skepticism in the same light that one might look at a blurry photo of Sasquatch.

In essence it was over. None of the bikes in the trailer would come out to race again. Dave would ease us home and the ordeal would be over.

We jumped into the nice air conditioned van and went in search of "Cyclist 4, Leg 12"

Little did we know what was waiting for us around the corner...

Part Eight

"Cry Havoc! And Let Slip The Dog Of War!"

I wish I had words to adequately do justice to what we would witness over the next 40 miles of The 2013 Rockwell Relay. Had it been a pro, in a grand tour, fighting for the leader's jersey there would be a YouTube video of it complete with slow motion segments and a John Williams music score in the background. But as it was, it was a "weekend warrior" cyclist, on a back road of an unsanctioned race that the winner had been determined a few hours earlier. I was one of three to witness it and it will haunt me on those training days that I just want to coast home.

As I said before, science cannot fully explain how a human propels a bike forward, but a poet watching David Nelson bring it home for "Keep It Clean" that day might have been able to.

When we caught sight of Dave he was making his way up a small hill a few miles from the last exchange point. Also in view were three cyclists ahead of him. We went past, let him know we were with him then skipped ahead a few miles to wait. We did a quick estimate off the look on Dave's face and the faces of the other cyclists ahead of him: We agreed he'd catch the first, and maybe the second but the third was looking too strong and was too far out of reach.

We waited. And soon a cyclist appeared on top of the ridge. It wasn't the ones we were expecting. In the matter of a few short miles Dave had proved us wrong and passed all three! We hurried back in the van, passed two more cyclists and pulled over again.

Another estimate; maybe, maybe the first but not the second. No chance.

Again, a cyclist appeared in view. Again our calculations were wrong. Again, Dave had passed cyclists that were seemingly out of reach.

I text Bambi: I can't believe what I'm watching.

He'd prepped his own water bottles before his ride, in anticipation of the heat. I unscrewed one of his reserve bottles and took a sniff, half expecting to smell jet fuel.

We went ahead again. It seemed like he wasn't even giving us a chance as we barely had time to exit the van before he shot by us.

Another pull off spot. Another estimate that he couldn't catch the cyclists between us and him. Another wrong guess. Every time he passed us we asked if he wanted water. He would break his focus just enough to shake his head no. It was hot. We wanted to help, to somehow be a part of this. Finally we decided if he wouldn't take water from us, we would give him some. John pulled the van alongside his bike and matched his speed. I leaned out the window and poured a bottle of water down his back as he sped on. We continued this maneuver every couple miles. Teamwork to the end.

Another group of cyclists, another guess he was running out of time and space. Another three heads shaking is astonishment as he caught them and continued on.

Lonnie finally asked, "When are you going to stop betting against him?"

He reached the top of the final climb of the entire race and took off in pursuit of one last group of six cyclists still ahead of him. But this time there was no way he'd catch these guys so we headed to the finish line to meet him there. As fate would have it we got stuck at the first traffic light on the edge of town long enough to look back and see a group of riders come around the bend.

"Hmm, there's seven bikes in the group, I thought there were only six"" John questioned out loud.

"There was!" Lonnie exclaimed. "But that's Dave in front!"

We shot through the light as soon as we could. There were still three more cyclists he could beat, and if he out sprinted them there would be no living it down. I'm pretty sure John peeled out in the family van in desperation.

I sent Bambi another text: He's gonna beat us there!

In a town of great cyclists, on a stretch of road hotly contested on a daily basis- one that was raced by 100 ridersthat day, and thousands before- On a day he'd already put 100 miles in through a sleepless night cramped in a van, he rode the 6th fastest time ever recorded on that route. I guess with 2 days, 400 cyclists and 527 miles that a possibility exists that another racer, somewhere in the race, could have equaled the performance of team "Keep It Clean's" "Cyclist #4/ Leg 12, but no one topped it. Guaranteed!

And when it was over there was no shouting or boasting; no chest thumping or fist bumping.

He simply laid his bike on the grass and walked over to eat lunch with his teammates.

I envision myself, in the future, sitting on a porch on an early Saturday morning, my knees too shot from countless pedal rotations to move a chain around two rings, my mind too shot from a lifetime of concussions to steady a bike.

"Grampa, tell us the story of the day you saw a guy ride like the wind."

And I'll start the story like I've started it a thousand times before.

"His name was David Nelson..."

Part Nine: It Is Finished

"And so it goes"

As quick as it came together in Moab 31 hours before, it ended. As hamburgers, chips and sodas were disappearing into the "Void of CaloricDeficiencies" I looked around the table at our Band of Misfits. Two days ago we hadn't met. 5 weeks ago we hadn't talked. 6 weeks ago we didn't know any of the others existed. But over the last 31 hours we'd come together to overcome the terrain, weather, emotions, hunger and the unknown around the next bend and over the next hill to help each other accomplish something we truly didn't know much about.

I looked at Bambi: I wish I knew suffering like her so that the good days on a bike meant more.

I looked at John: I wish I could ride with the enjoyment I saw on his face, truly loving the simplicity of the bike.

I looked at Lonnie: I wish I could power over constantly changing variables without question, like he does.

I looked at Dave: I wish I had the form and function that he does. No wasted movements on the bike.

We shook hands and exchanged promises to ride together again, bragged about team "Keep It Clean", packed the car for the long hot drive home.

Thanks Eric for the kind words . You guys in the support van really inspired me to put in my best time on that leg ever.It was a team effort but gaining the respect of your teammates is priceless.Thanks for sharing your thoughts .Dave

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About Me

I've worked in an auto garage, as a golf caddie, I'm a licensed baker and master pastry chef, I'm a Certified Personal Trainer and have trained ranked weight lifters and top level fitness models, I've been a high school basketball, baseball, wrestling, and football coach. I've coached an elite Olympic style weightlifting club. I'm a Certified Archery Tech and have been head of North American Operations for a global company. I'm an investor of distressed properties. I've worked at all levels of retail, in warehouses and ran my own businesses and have been successful at all.

I was a Golden Gloves boxer at ages 10-12, played high school football and basketball. I've competed at elevated levels of racquetball, rugby, cricket, jai alai, fencing, Olympic style weightlifting and am a sponsored cyclist.

But when they're standing over my grave I hope all that is forgotten and they remember that I was a loyal friend, honest person, loving dad and perfect gentleman.